The vancomycin group antibiotics interfere with biosynthesis of bacterial cell wall by complexation with peptide intermediates. This project involves an attempt to develop an understanding of the binding process on a molecular level. As the first phase of this study the structure of ristocetin A is being determined since the structures of the antibiotics in this group are presently unknown. Effort during the past year has been concentrated on identification of unusual amono acids present in the peptide portion of ristocetin. These studies will be completed during the coming year and attention will be turned to establishing the peptide sequence. The unusual nature of the amino acids which we have isolated reduce the usefulness of conventional sequencing methods and new techniques are being developed which will accomodate to and take advantage of the unique structures of the amino acids.